Lawn-mower.



No. 652,l38. Patented June l9, I900.

R. K; ORTT. LAWN MOWER.

(Application filed June 19, 1899.)

2 Sheets-sheaf I.

(No Model.)

THE ripnms PETERS co, wcmumou WASHINGTON. ov cv No. 652,!38. Patentedlune I19, I900.

R. K. DBTT;

LAWN MOWER.

(Application filed June 19, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$haet 2.

' 7Z1 u/ C ulll V/llll UNITED STATES.

PATENT O FICE.

ROWLEY K. onrr, or NORRISTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA.

LAWN- MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,138, dated June 19,1900. Application filed J'unelil, 1899- Serial No. 721,106; (No model.)

To all whom. it nut/y concern:

Be itknown that I, ROWLEY K. ORTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norris town, in the county of Montgomery and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLawn-Mowers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in lawn-mowers; and theobjects and nature of the invention will be fully understood from thefollowing description, considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and incombinations and arrangements and details of parts, as more fully andparticularly set forth and described hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isa side elevation ofthe lawn-mower with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partsbeingbroken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 3 3,Fig.

2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 at, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is across-sectional view on the line 5 5, Fig. 2, showing the means employedin mounting the oscillating lever on the cross-bar of the frame. Fig. 6is a detail perspective view of a portion of the cross-bar of the frame,the oscillating lever being re moved. Figs. 7 and 8 are detached detailviews'illustrating the ratchet mechanism between a driving-wheel and theactuating camshaft. Fig. 9 is a cross-section on the line 9 9, Fig. 2,illustrating the manner of securing the front ends of the side frames tothe fingerbar. Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on line 10 10, Fig.2. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective of one of the spring-keepers. Fig. 12shows the finger-bar blank in the rough as cast or formed by'drop-forging or otherwise and before the method is carried out to thecompletionof the finger-bar ready to receive the knife-bar. Fig. 13 is abottom plan of a portion of the finger-bar, showing the ribs on thebottom thereof formed to receive the front end of a side frame. Fig. latis a detail perspective of the pawl in a ratchet mechanism. Fig. 15 is adetail perspective of the rear end of the lever, showing the looseroller thereon.

In the drawings, a a are the side frames of the machine, at their frontends rigidly secured together by a finger orguard bar Z) and atintermediate points secured together by the cross-bar c and at theirrear portions secured together or connected by what might be termed anaxle d, but which is, in effect, a tie rod or bolt, and also by acamwheel shaft 6. The rear end of each side frame is in the form of anenlarged verticallydisposed flat disk a, having the centraloutwardly-projecting boss a formed integral therewith. The axle or rodcl projects through said disks and through and beyond the bosses and isprovided with screw-threaded projecting ends. In rear of said axle thedisks are provided with openings and surrounding bearings receiving acam-shaft 6, extending between the disks, with its ends extendingthrough said bearings and projecting beyond the outer faces of thedisks. This shaft has a grooved cam-wheel f mounted centrally andrigidly thereon. This cam-wheel can be of any suitable and desirableconstruction, and the invention is not limited to thespecific cam-wheelshown, wherein the rim of the wheel has the peripheral groove and isdeflected laterally alternately in opposite directions. The cam-wheelcan be cast integral with the rim carried by spokes from a central hub.The hub is shown fitted on the shaft and locked thereon by set-screws.

9 represents the driving ground-Wheels arranged at the outer faces ofthe disks of the side frames and concentric therewith. Each wheel has arim formed of the annular inwardly-extend in g flange surrounding theedge of the frame-disk and of sufficient depth to leave a space betweenthe vertical portion of the wheel and the frame-disk. Each wheel has aninwardly-projecting hub surrounding and turning on the boss of theframe-disk, and the wheels are confined in position by nuts 61 at theouter facesthereof and screwedon the projecting ends of the aXle.'Theouter periphery of the rim of each wheel is suitably formed to attainthe proper traction with the sod as the machine is moved, and each rimis provided with a narrow integral gear h, 10-

cated at the inner portion of the rim, so as to leave the inner facesmooth beyond the said gearing. The ends of the cam-wheel shaft aregeared with the internal gearing of said drive-wheels through the mediumof a suitable ratchet mechanism, which causes the said shaft to rotatewith the drive-wheels as the machine'is moved forward, but which allowthe-drive-wheels to rotate freely in the oppo- 1 ing outwardly from itsouter face.

j is a pinion-in constant mesh with the integral gearing of thedrive-wheel. This pinion is mounted loosely on the end of the camshaftand is formed with an inward extension j beyond the gear-teeth thereofand at its inner end abuts against the said disk 2'. This extension ofthe pinion c is provided with a circular end recess or socket 3'concentric with the cam-shaft and receiving said ratchet wheel or teeth2' on the said disk, so that said ratchet-wheel is inclosed within theend extension of the pinion, and said extension of the pinion and thedisk iare both located opposite or just within the smoothfaced portionof the rim of the drive-wheel and inwardly beyond the internal gearingand pinion-teeth. The extended end-of the pinion is providedwith aradial groove, slot, or recess j opening into the end recessj andextending through the periphery of said extension. Atangentially-arranged plate-spring k is secured at the exterior of theextended end of the pinion, with its inwardly-pressing free end locatedover said openingj and engaging and constantly forcing inwardly theblock I, radially located and movable in and through said opening andhaving an inner beveled end arranged to ride on the ratchetteeth. Thesaid block,- which forms a pawl, projects a sufficient distance into thesaid end recess to lock the pinion to the ratchet-wheel when the machineis moving forward and to ride loosely over the ratchet-teeth andreciprocate longitudinally without turning the pinion when the machinemoves rearwardly. This construction is of the utmost simplicity anddurability. The parts can be cast or otherwise made at a minimum cost.The ratchet mechanism is inclosed, and dirt is consequently kepttherefrom. The pawl is not secured, and hence can be removed andreplaced most conveniently and easily, and the construction is otherwiseof the highest efficiency andadvantage.

mis the handle of the machine, having the yoke at its lower end mountedto swing on the agrle between the end disks. The end disks in rear ofthe axle are cast or otherwise formed with inwardly-projecting lugs mbeneath the yoke and engaging the ends of the yoke and limiting thedownward movement of the handle to about the position required in use bythe ordinary operator, and yet permitting free upward swing of thehandle, the yoke ends then turning on the axle. Each side frame extendshorizontally forwardly from its end disk and is deflected inwardly atits junction with the disk. The arm or forwardly-extending portion ofeach side frame has the bottom horizontal flange a projecting laterallyon both sides of the vertical web of the frame. At intermediate pointsbetween the finger-bar and the drive-wheels the outer sides of the sideframes are formed with lateral enlargements M, the outer vertical facesof which are approximately flush with the outer edges of the flanges erThe ends of the radial arms n are secured against the outer faces ofsaid seats or enlargements by transverse bolts 02, passing through thearms, enlargements, and side frames and provided with clamping-nuts atthe inner faces of the side frames. The radial arms preferably extendforwardly from their pivoted ends and have outwardly-extendinghorizontal spindles, on which the small gage-rollers 0 are mounted andconfined. The vertical position of the finger-bar is determined by thevertical adjustment of said rollers, which is effected by looseningclamping-bolts n and swinging the radial arms up or down the desireddistance and then clamping the arms in the desired position. Theenlargements of the frame sides carry the radial arms out beyond thevertical planes of the bottom flanges of the side frames, and the inwardoffsets or deflections of the side frames before described cause the drive-wheels to track with said gage rollers.

The finger-bar b is formed integral with its guards or fingers, ashereinafter set forth, and the ribs or flanges Z) are continuedtransversely across the bottom face of the bar in continuation of theunder edges of the respective fingers.

The horizontal bottom or flanged portion of each side frame is at thefront end a extended beneath and transversely of the cutter-bar andformed to fit snugly between two of said ribs b and thereby moststrongly brace the parts against independent lateral play or looseness,while the said ends a are rigidly secured to the finger-bar by verticalscrews, rivets, or the like passed through said parts.

The front end of each side frame is later ally enlarged and arrangedvertically to abut against the rear edge of the finger-bar.

p is the reciprocating knife-bar in the finger-bar and at its centralportion is provided with the upwardly-projectingeye p, rigid therewith.

q is the oscillating lever between the camwheel and the knife-bar. Thelever is mounted or fulcrumed on the crossbar 0 between the side frames.The cross-bar is provided with angular or downwardly-projected verticalends 0, at their lower ends rested and seated on the bottom flanges (tof the frame sides, and thereby strongly bracing the structure andholding the cross-bar against tilting. The cross-bar is secured to theframe sides by horizontal bolts or other fastening means passed throughsaid vertical ends 0 and the vertical webs of the side frames. Thecrossbar is provided with a central forwardly-projecting lip or ear 0formed integral with the bar and having a centrally disposedupwardly-projecting boss a integral therewith. This boss is cylindricaland is of greater length than the thickness ot'the lever g, which has anopening through which the boss projects and on which the lever isfulcrumed. The lever is loosely confined against displacement by awasher or cap 0 held down on the upper end of the boss bya bolt 0 passeddown through the cap, boss, and cross-bar and secured by a nut on itslower end. By this construction wear on and cutting of the bolt andtightness on the fulcrum of the lever are avoided, as the bolt can bedrawn as tightly as desired without tightening the lever at its fulcrum,as the washer is merelydrawn against the end of the boss. The largeboss receives the wear and sustains the heavy strain and friction, andwear and looseness are reduced to a minimum, and yet the parts can beeasily released and removed and replaced.

As the forward rotation of the cam-wheel exerts downward pressure on therear of the lever and tends to press the same against the cross-bar inrear of the fulcrum and cause friction, wear, and noise, I have found itadvantageous to provide an additional bearingpoint and support for thelever at a point between the fulcrum and cam-wheel. To this end I formthe cross-bar with a groove or depression 0 in its top face a distancein rear of the lever-fulcrum. This groove has closed ends and isarranged transversely of the lever, and in this groove one or more balls0 are loosely located, projecting above the top face of the cross-barand into engagement with the under face of the lever. In length thegroove is less than the width of the bar and is so arranged as to bealways covered by the lever in its path of movement. The upper end ofsaid lever is reduced to a spindle projecting within the groove of thecamwheel and having a loose roll q located thereon and fitted in saidgroove. The front end of said oscillating lever is usually reduced andinserted loosely in the eye 1), rigid with the knife-bar, whereby thelever oscillated by the cam-wheel thereby rapidly reciprocates theknife-bar.

The finger-bar is provided with a slideway or groove 1) in its top face,longitudinally thereof and preferably open at the ends. This. groove ispreferably located near the front edge of the bar and adjacent to thejunctions between the fingers or guards and the bar. The top face of thebaris preferably smooth.

The knife-bar is composed of a straight bar 19 fitted snugly in thegroove Z1 and in crosssection conforming to the groove in cross-section.The groove and bar are preferably rectangular in cross-section, and theupper edge of the bar 13 is usually flush with the top face of thefinger-bar. The flat knives p are secured ri idly on the top edge of thebar 19 and project forwardly therefrom. Each knife is preferably of theusual triangular form. The knives, preferably, do not project rearwardlybeyond bar 19 but extend horizontally forward in the slots through thefingers. The knives are beveled down on their top faces to the sidecutting edges to cooperate with the side cutting edges of the guards orfingers in performing the shearing cut.

The knife-bar is so much shorter in length than the finger-bar that thepath of reciprocation of the knife-bar does not project it beyond theends of the finger-bar. Thus where the finger-bar has elevenequally-spaced fingers the knife-bar usually has ten knives.

The end fingers of the finger-bar are located inwardly certain distancesfrom the ends of the bar, and the bar is formed integral with horizontalwebs b extending from the outer edges of the points of the end fingersto the front edge of the outer ends of the finger-bar. The outer edgesof these webs are inclined rearwardly and outwardly, and the top facesof the webs are depressed below the top face of finger-bar and below thebottoms of the grooves through the end fingers. The end webs protect theend knives against injurious contact with obstructions and also protectthe end fingers and the ends of the finger-bar.

The horizontal grooves through the fingers are in vertical width greaterthan the thickness of the knives located therein and sliding back andforth on the floors thereof, and the bar or body 17 of the knife-barrests loosely in and can be lifted from the slidewayin the finger-bar.Suitable means are provided to yieldingly confine the knife-bar inposition and down to its work. As an example of simple and effectivemeans for this purpose I show and usually employ spring-keepers s s,engaging the knife-bar at points intermediate the lengths of the knivesand intermediate the lengths of the cutting edges thereof and over thecutting edges of the finger-bar. Each keeper is shown formed of a pieceof thin spring sheet metal, with the flat portion secured on the topface of the finger-bar in rear of the knife-bar by suitable fasteningmeans, such as screw 3, and the Wide springmetal plate is deflected orbent upwardly from its flat base and extended forwardly above and out ofcontact with the knife-bar.- The front end of the plate is deflecteddownwardly into engagement with the knives over the cutting edges of thefinger-bar and at points about midway of the lengths of the cuttingedges of the knives. In the drawings I show two such keepers locatednear opposite ends of the finger-bar; but the invention is not solimited. The upwardly-bulged portions of the keepers over the rear ofthe knife-bar permits limited upward play thereof, although suchmovement of the knife-bar is in a measure against the tension of thefree ends of the keepers, and the rear edges of the knives will engagethe rear portions of the keepers when the limit of movement is reached.The free ends of the keepers press down with considerable force on theknives, the free end of akeeper usually alternating, engaging two knivesas the knife-bar reciprocates, and the cutting edges of the knives arethus held down to the cutting edges of the finger-bar with a yieldingpressure, whereby most material and important advantages are attainedand wear is taken up and the shearing edges constantly kept together forthe performance .of their properfunctions. Furthermore, astheknifebar isheld by a yielding pressure it can lift at the front or rear or eitherend or bodily throughout to clear itself of obstructions working betweenthe shearing edges. By this arrangement damage to the cutting edges andparts are avoided. Such damage often occurs where the knife-bar is heldrigidly down to the finger-bar.

It should be noted that my spring-keeper is tapered forwardly andprojects over the cutter-bar and presses down on the knives thereofdirectly over the cutting edges of the knives and finger-bar. Peculiarnew results are attained by thus locating the springkeepers, and theinclined or beveled edges thereof permit the grass to pass back betweenthe knives to the extreme rear portions of the cutting edges thereof.

The spring-keepers can be easily removed and replaced and areexceedingly economical in structure and use and reduce wear of the partsto a minimum, and peculiar advantages are attained by employing thesespring-keepers in connection with my finger-bar.

In making the finger-bar shown usually I first form the blank for barand its fingers or guards in the rough in one integral piece. The barcan be thus formed by drop-forging, casting, or molds or otherwise. Thebar is formed with the transverse body thereof solid and flat at the topand with the bottom ribs, and the guards or fingers are also formedsolid, with their upwardly-projecting portions extending backapproximately to the transverse body of the bar. I then by a suitablemachine or tool mill or otherwise cut the groove or slideway in the topface of the bar to receive the knife-bar. While this operation is beingperformed, the rough blank is held rigidly and the groove is outperfectly true and parallel with the edges of the bar and of the samedepth throughout. The blank is then locked or held rigidly in a verticalposition or on edge on the points of the fingers, and arapidly-drivensaw or other suitable implement cuts the grooves through andlongitudinally of the fingers and the face of the bar from the frontedge of the slideway forwardly perfectly level and smooth and to thesame horizontal plane as the floors of the grooves through the fingers.The finger-bar is then properly held and the adjacent side faces of thefingers from the front edge of the bar out to the front ends of thegrooves are ground down, thereby forming perfect cutting and shearingedges at the sides of the fingers where the floors of the grooves end.

The bar is thus complete and ready to receive the knife-bar.

Peculiar conditions are encountered in cut= ting lawn-grass, andheretofore, so far as I am aware, a commercially-practical lawnmoweremploying a reciprocating knife-bar working in a finger-bar has not beenproduced. Lawn-grass is so soft and pliable and usually so short thatordinary reciprocating cutter-bar machines will not cut the same, as

the grass will bend and double and slip out 1 from between the knivesand fingers and in v some cases will bend into the grooves of thefingers and under the knives. I am enabled to overcome these defects bymy peculiar finger-bar, wherein the construction of the bar insuresperfect shearing cooperation between the knives and fingers and a closefit between the blades and the floors of the grooves in the fingers. Byreasonof this peculiar construction my cutting apparatus will evenly andproperly sever the most soft and pliable lawn-grass as successfully asthe ordinary reel-cutter mowers in common use, and at the same time willcut short grass and also very tall grass and grass mixed with heavyweeds, which cannot be out by reelcutters.

By making my finger-bar in accordance with the peculiar method stated Iattain an absolutely true cutting-surface throughout all of thefingers-that is, the floors of the grooves through the fingers and theface of the finger-bar in front of the slideway are all perfectly leveland in one plane throughout. It is impossible to attain this result byfingers constructed separately from the barbody and afterward securedthereto. It should also be noted that I prefer to have the portion ofeach finger above the groove therein extend back almost to the verticalplane of the front edge of the body of the finger-bar, and hence extendabove practically the full length of the coacting cutting edges of thefingers and knives, and thereby aid in holding up the grass andpreventing the same doubling over on the knives.

My cutter-bar is not limited to employment in lawn-mowers constructed inaccordance with other features stated, and the same is true of thespring-keepers and other separate features of my invention, althoughaccording to my present experiments I use all the IIO various featuresof my invention in a machine substantially as shown; but it is ob viousthat various changes and modifications might be made in the forms,constructions, and arrangements of the parts described without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limitmyself to all the features exactly as shown and described.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a lawnmower, the combination of side frames, the finger-bar havingthe ribs arranged transversely across its under face, the front end ofeach side frame fitted and locked between two ribs and having a shoulderabutting against the rear edge of the bar, securing means, a knife-bar,and actuating mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In a lawnmower, the combination of a framework, driving-wheels, thefinger-bar having ribs extended transversely across its bottom incontinuation of the fingers,the front ends of the framework fittingunder said bar between certain of said ribs and secured to said bar andabutting against the rear edge thereof, said bar-formed in one piecewith its iingers and having the longitudinal top groove, the fingershaving slots cut therein, the face of the finger-bar in advance of saidgroove and forming the floor of said slots ground true and in one plane,the cutter-bar sliding in said groove and having its knives resting onsaid true-plane face, and actuating mechanism for reciprocating saidknife-bar, substantially as described.

3. In a lawn-mower, the combination of a frame, driving means, actuatingmeans for the cutting mechanism, the cutting mechanism comprisingthe'finger-bar, and the cutterbar reciprocating therein and havingvertical play, and spring-keepers secured to the fingerbar and archedover the cutter-bar with their front ends yieldingly pressing down onthe cutter-bar over the cutting portions thereof and yieldingly holdingthe cutter-bar down on the finger-bar and permitting the vertical playof the cutter-bar, said finger-bar and its fingers formed integral andhaving a longitudinal Way out in its upper face and receiving thecutter-bar, the fingers of said bar having slots cut therein all in thesame plane, the floors of said slots and the face of the cutter-bar inadvance of said way being ground true and in the same plane andreceiving the knives of the cutter-bar, the sides of the fingers beingground and forming knife-edges at the edges of said faces forming thefloors of said finger-slots,substantially as described.

4. In a lawn-mower, the combination of a framework, a finger-barrigidlysecured thereto and having a longitudinal groove in its u p perface in rear of the fingers, a reciprocating cutter-bar sliding in saidgroove with its knives receiprocating over the cutting edges of thefingers, said cutter-bar having a limited vertical play, and thespring-keepers yieldinglyholding the cutter-bar down on the fingers andupper face of the finger-bar, each keeper formed of thin spring metaland secured to the finger-bar in rear of the cutterbar and arched upover the cutter-bar and having its front end deflected down intoengagement with a knife or knives of the cutter-bar over the cooperatingcutting portions of the finger-bar, substantially as described.

5. In a lawn-mower, the combination of a framework, ground-wheels,actuating mechanism for the cutter mechanism, a finger-bar secured tothe framework and havingits longitudinal portion formed with alongitudinal groove in rear of. the fingers, the reciprocatingcutter-bar having limited vertical play and comprising the bar slidingin said groove and the flat knife-sections seen red thereto and slidingover the shearing edges of the fingers, and separate spring-keepers,each keeper secured to the finger-bar in rear of said cutter-bar andprojecting close over the rear portion of said cutter-bar, for the purpose described, and deflected up over the cut ter-bar and engaging theknife-sections over and holding the same yieldingly down to the codperating shearing edges of the fingers, sub stantially as described.

6. In a lawn-mower, the combination of side frames, ground-wheels, andactuating mechanism, the finger-bar formed integral from a single blankwith the ribs extended across its under surface and having a flatlongitudinally grooved top surface, the slots cut through the fingersand all located in the same plane, the front ends of the side framesfitted between certain of said ribs and abutting against the edge of andsecured to the bar, a reciprocating cutter-bar fitted to the fingerbar,and spring-keepers secured to the fingerbar and pressing down on certainknife-sections thereof as described.

7. In a lawn-mower, the combination of a frame, and driving mechanism,with a cutting mechanism comprising a finger-bar,a cutter-barreciprocating thereon and having limited vertical play,and independentforwardlytapering spring-keepers secured to the finger bar and extendingforwardly over the cutterbar and yieldingly bearing down only on certainknife-sections of the cutter-bar over the cooperatin g cutting portionsof the finger-bar, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a lawn-mower, the combination of a frame, driving means, mechanismfor reciprocating the cutter-bar, the cutting mechan ism comprising afinger-bar, and the cutter bar reciprocating therein and having verticalplay, and spring-keepers secured to the fingerbar and arched over thecutter-bar With their ends yieldingly pressing down on the cutterbar'over the cutting portions thereof and yieldingly holding the cuttei bardown on the finger-bar and permitting the vertical play of thecutter-bar, substantially as described.

9. Incombination,thefinger-barhavingthe IIO fiat top face andlongitudinal top groove, the reciprocating finger-bar having limitedvertical movement and fitting said groove with its knife-sectionsresting on the fiat face of the bar in advance of the'groove, and theisolated spring-keepers, each having a flat end resting on the top faceof the finger-bar at the rear edge of the cutter-bar, a securing-screwpassing through said flat end into the fingerbar, said keeper archedupwardly and forwardly and downwardly from said flat end With its frontend resting and yieldingly hearing down on a knife-section of saidcutterbar, substantially as described.

10. In a lawn-mower, the combination of g in the presence of twowitnesses.

side frames, cutting mechanism, the groundwheels mounted on the sideframes and having the rims provided with internal gearing, the shaftmounted in said frames and projecting therethrough within saidwheel-rims, the disks rigid on said shaft at the outer faces of ?theside frames and within the wheels, the

ratchet-teeth at the outer faces of said disks,

1 the pinions loose on said shaft ends, at their outer ends abuttingagainst said wheels and at their inner ends abutting against said disks,each pinion having the exteriorlysmooth-faced inner end formed withaconcenteeth, and the inner end radial opening, the removableslide-block in said opening, and the plate-spring circumferentiallyarranged on said smooth-faced portion with its free end engaging theouter end of said block, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature ROVVLEY K. OR'IT.

\Vjtnesses:

WALTER T. SHAMBOUGH, EUGENE D. EGBERT.

'tric end recess entirely inclosing said ratchet-

